Business News: Oct. 7-20, 2010 Issue

Henrico Citizen Staff Reports

10/12/10

Greg Riggs opened Stone’s Field of Dreams farm at 8481 Hungary Road earlier this year, hoping to create an atmosphere in which future farmers can learn the trade. The farm produces and offers vegetables for sale to consumers and commercial businesses. It is offering hayrides daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (except on Sundays, when they will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Haunted hayrides for children will begin Oct. 16. For details, call 332-7000.

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The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc., a regional economic development organization, received six awards for excellence in economic development and communications from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC). The IEDC honors were presented at an awards ceremony Sept. 28 during the IEDC Annual Conference in Columbus, Oh. The SEDC Communications Awards were presented at the SEDC Annual Conference held Aug. 14-17 New Orleans.

The GRP also recently named Charles “Chuck” Peterson as vice president. Prior to joining GRP, Peterson spent 17 years at the West Virginia Development Office, where he advanced his career from research analyst to manager, research and strategic planning unit.

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The Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau recently earned the 2010 Excellence in Internet Award by the Southeast Tourism Society. The award, which was presented at the Shining Example Awards banquet, recognizes extraordinary performance in digital communication.

Richmond-based based company H&A Architects & Engineers ranked sixth of 200 on The Zweig Letter Hot Firm List, a construction industry consulting and publication firm. This annual list features the architecture, engineering, and environmental firms that have outperformed the economy and competitors to become leaders in their field.

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Volunteer leader Deb Downing recently was selected as the “Beacon of Hope” recipient by Safe Harbor, a Henrico organization whose goal is to stop domestic violence. The award recognizes excellence in advocacy against intimate partner violence. Downing will be honored this week at a reception at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. Downing has a long-standing history of activism against intimate partner violence in Virginia. In 1975, she oversaw operations for Shelter for Help and Emergency, a program to help victims of domestic violence in the Charlottesville area. Four years later, she was selected as the agency’s executive director, a position she held for 10 years. After 14 years of service at the local level, Downing transitioned to state-level policy and advocacy work. Downing has helped to implement public policy, and funding and training programs to enhance Virginia’s capacity to serve survivors of intimate partner violence and their children.

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Lisa Wilson Gidcumb recently opened her new company, S E M E Education Consulting LLC. S E M E is a “child first” business that works collaboratively with parents and schools for the children’s success. S E M E, “Special Education Made Easy,” is a comprehensive consulting company providing personalized and meaningful education solutions to parents and schools throughout Virginia. For details, visit http://www.semeedconsulting.com

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Founder and president of Richmond marketing and public relations firm OFD Consulting Meghan Ely recently was chosen as the keynote speaker for the Business of Wedding Ireland Conference, which will take place Nov. 2-3 in Killarney, Ireland. At the conference, Ely will cover topics such as “The State of the Wedding Industry,” “Expectations of Brides and Grooms,” “Marketing to Brides in this Economy,” “Social Media and Networking” and “Pre-bridal Show Strategies,” in a two day seminar.

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The National Association of Scholars recently recognized the University of Richmond’s John Marshall International Center for the Study of Statesmanship as an “excellent program” for its approach to understanding and practicing responsible leadership. The center is advised by an international board of distinguished scholars, including honorary chair and former prime minister of Great Britain Margaret Thatcher.

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America’s Best Cleaners recently selected Richmond’s Puritan Cleaners as one of America’s best dry cleaning establishments. The recognition also certifies the dry cleaning business under the Fashion Care Label of Europe, a worldwide network of certified dry cleaners.

The Henricopolis Soil & Water Conservation District will sponsor a tree seedling giveaway on April 2 at Dorey Park Shelter 1 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on April 3 at Hermitage High School parking lot from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bare-root tree seedlings are available to Henrico County residents free of charge for the spring planting season.

The following seedling species will be available: apple, kousa dogwood, red maple, river birch, red osier dogwood, loblolly pine, sycamore, bald cypress, white dogwood and redbud. Quantities are limited and trees are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each participant is allowed up to 10 trees total, not to include more than five of the same species. > Read more.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) recently launched an online directory of permitted bingo games played in Virginia. Listed by locality, more than 400 regular games are available across the state. The directory will be updated monthly and can be found on VDACS’ website at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/gaming/index.shtml.

“Many Virginia charities, including volunteer rescue squads, booster clubs and programs to feed the homeless, use proceeds from charitable gaming as a tool to support their missions, said Michael Menefee, program manager for VDACS’ Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs. > Read more.

Richmonders Jim Morgan and Dan Stackhouse were married at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Lakeside Mar. 7 month after winning the Say I Do! With OutRVA wedding contest in February. The contest was open to LGBT couples in recognition of Virginia’s marriage equality law, which took effect last fall. The wedding included a package valued at $25,000.

Morgan and Stackhouse, who became engaged last fall on the day marriage equality became the law in Virginia, have been together for 16 years. They were selected from among 40 couples who registered for the contest. The winners were announced at the Say I Do! Dessert Soiree at the Renaissance in Richmond in February. > Read more.

Two events this weekend benefit man’s best friend – a rabies clinic, sponsored by the Glendale Ruritan Club, and an American Red Cross Canine First Aid & CPR workshop at Alpha Dog Club. The fifth annual Shelby Rocks “Cancer is a Drag” Womanless Pageant will benefit the American Cancer Society and a spaghetti luncheon on Sunday will benefit the Eastern Henrico Ruritan Club. Twin Hickory Library will also host a used book sale this weekend with proceeds benefiting The Friends of the Twin Hickory Library. For all our top picks this weekend, click here! > Read more.

In a spot that could be easily overlooked is a surprising, and delicious, Japanese restaurant. In a tiny nook in the shops at the corner of Ridgefield Parkway and Pump Road sits a welcoming, warm and comfortable Asian restaurant called Ichiban, which means “the best.”

The restaurant, tucked between a couple others in the Gleneagles Shopping Center, was so quiet and dark that it was difficult to tell if it was open at 6:30 p.m. on a Monday. When I opened the door, I smiled when I looked inside. > Read more.

Cinderella is the latest from Disney’s new moviemaking battle plan: producing live-action adaptations of all their older classics. Which is a plan that’s had questionable results in the past.

Alice in Wonderland bloated with more Tim Burton goth-pop than the inside of a Hot Topic. Maleficent was a step in the right direction, but the movie couldn’t decide if Maleficent should be a hero or a villain (even if she should obviously be a villain) and muddled itself into mediocrity.

Cinderella is much better. Primarily, because it’s just Cinderella. No radical rebooting. No Tim Burton dreck. It’s the 1950 Disney masterpiece, transposed into live action and left almost entirely untouched. > Read more.

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